Donghae City to Host 'Global Vision Railway Forum' for Gangneung~Donghae~Samcheok High-Speed Railway Initiative

In Donghae, Gangwon Province, the "2025 Global Vision Railway Forum" will be held at 2:00 p.m. on September 17 at the Convention Hall of the Hyeonjin Tourist Hotel.

A panoramic view of Donghae City Hall.

This forum has been organized to inform citizens about the necessity and expected benefits of the Samcheok~Gangneung section of the Donghae Line high-speed railway project, and to explore regional development tasks and practical strategies suitable for the upcoming railway era.

Starting with the National Assembly policy debate on the Donghae Line high-speed railway in July, this forum is the final session on the Donghae Jungbu Line, following the East-West High-Speed Railway and the Donghae Northern Line. It is hosted and organized by Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, 10 cities and counties, and Gangwon Domin Ilbo.

The Samcheok~Donghae~Gangneung high-speed railway project is a large-scale initiative with a total length of 45.8 kilometers and a project cost of 1.3 trillion won. It was included in the 4th National Railway Network Construction Plan in 2021, and a preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Economy and Finance has been underway since February 2023.

Since September 2023, Donghae City, in cooperation with Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province and local governments (Gangneung, Samcheok), has held a total of six response meetings to pass the preliminary feasibility study. Furthermore, since March 2025, a working group consisting of central government, provincial, and local government officials has been formed to promote collaborative projects such as the March 1st Running Event and the Railway Plogging Event. This forum is also part of these collaborative efforts.

Approximately 100 participants, including officials from Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Donghae, Gangneung, Samcheok, railway representatives, and local residents, are expected to attend this forum. In-depth discussions will be held on the topic of "Donghae Line High-Speed Railway and Development Strategies for the Southern Donghae Region" to explore directions for regional development.

Shim Kyueon, Mayor of Donghae, stated, "The high-speed upgrade of the Donghae Line is not just about improving transportation convenience; it is a crucial task that will become a future growth engine for the region. Through this forum, we will unite regional capabilities and work to ensure that government policies reflect our needs."